In July, Civity Co-Founder Malka and I had the opportunity to lead two Civity workshops in Fort Worth, Texas, at the Association of Leadership Programs National Conference. It was our fourth time attending, and somehow it just keeps getting better and better! The reason is simple: relationships.
Each year, we reconnect with people we got to know in years prior and meet others for the first time. There is nothing quite like being in a room with hundreds of leaders…people who go out of their way to introduce themselves, who listen with genuine curiosity, and who want to connect you to the person next to them.
This spirit of connection is exactly why Civity has chosen to partner nationally with ALP and the National Leadership Network. We’re teaming up with Community Leadership Programs across the country to launch Civity workshops with their alumni, helping people connect across differences at a time when we need it most.
Outside the workshops, Malka and I explored Fort Worth. We strolled through downtown, enjoyed some of the best coffee with local honey, sampled Texas cuisine for dinner (all while being called “ma’am” at every turn), and even tried our hand at line dancing! We had a blast, but I will leave line dancing to the Texans…here’s to hoping there’s no video footage of that experience…
Another highlight was celebrating beloved Executive Director Lura Hammond, who retired after 15 years of dedicated service and has been a steadfast Civity partner from the very beginning. We gathered in a hotel suite with champagne and cake, sharing stories and heartfelt tributes to Lura. It was the perfect send-off for someone who has given so much.
Overall, it was a special week filled with meaningful conversations, new experiences, and a sense of community that will stay with us, just as it does every year. And we couldn’t be more excited for next year: The ALP conference will be hosted in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska! We can’t wait to show folks the wonders of the Midwest and continue building more relationships.